10/04/2000

::Taking a deep breath: I’m back! Did you miss me? I know you did, because I got scads of sweet "I miss you!" emails, and if you emailed me and I never replied, it’s because I was running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off and bouncing off the walls. I know y’all understand, and I’ll be getting to that "To respond" folder in my email program just as soon as I can. I’ve worked the last (let me look at the calendar, here…) 17 days straight. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I worked 8 hours every day or anything, but there were several days where I worked more than 9 hours more than one day in a row. Yesterday and today, I only worked about three hours each day, and would have updated, but I needed some "me" time. I know y’all understand. The new office manager – what the hell did I name her? I don’t remember – seems to be working out pretty damn well. I was fairly freaked that she knew nothing at all about Quickbooks, but she’s picking it up fast, and she’ll be attending a Quickbooks training class later this month, and between the accountant and I, I think she’ll be fine. She’s very nice and peppy (for lack of a better word) and doesn’t really take shit from anyone. I know, I know, I liked the previous new office manager too, but I think I like this one even more. She’s not under the impression that she knows everything already, so she’s actually taking notes when I show her how to do something, unlike Rachel, who knew everything and thought I should go away and leave her to it. So I spent 14 days straight getting the books back in order, and if I never had to look at Quickbooks again, it would be far too soon. I did learn a few things by watching the accountant at work, which was neat, and the new office manager is a whiz in Excel, so I’ve picked up a thing or two from her. Anyway.

The weather here turned cold and then hot again, and I just heard that it’ll be down in the 50s this weekend during the days, and in the 30s at night. I would say that Fall’s definitely here. My morning glories, for the most part, are dead. They let out a few last gasps in the form of huge, gorgeous blooms, and now they’re just waiting for me to go out and rip them down. On the other hand, the morning glory "volunteers", which are growing in the gravel at the end of our pool, are still going strong. The leaves are huge and brilliantly green, and the blooms are small but bright. I’ll guess that by growing through the gravel, those morning glories aren’t depending on me for water the way the ones in the planter are. Oh, let me think, what else has been going on?… Last Sunday, Fred and I were eating lunch in the kitchen. I had a small pile of sweet pickles, and when I bit one of them, the vinegar-type juice stuff (technical term) went down the back of my throat, and I made a small choking noise. Fred’s eyes went big as saucers, and he moved as if he were going to leap across the table at me and heimlich me to within an inch of my life. "I’m okay!" I choked out, then started coughing. "I’m fine." He relaxed a little, but I could tell his heart was still pounding, poor guy. Last night, Fred had the debates (snooooore) on TV, and I was reading a magazine. I happened to put down my magazine at one point and listen to something they were saying (obviously it was so important I don’t even remember), and Fred said something like "It’s really none of our (the US’s) business!" I turned to him and said brightly "I’ve always said that if I were the president, I’d be an Insulationist!" Er. I meant Isolationist, of course. There are times when Miz Poo is doing something naughty (yes, I know it’s difficult to believe!) like walk around on the dinner table while we’re eating, and I have to pick her up and put her down on the floor, usually making a comment along the lines of "You don’t belong up here, silly girl!" When the spud’s around, she has recently taken on the job of speaking as though she were Miz Poo, saying for example "But Mom! I want to be on the table!" (apparently Miz Poo is a master of the obvious). Anyway, it’s been bothering me a little, because the spud sounds like someone when she does her Miz Poo voice, but I couldn’t think of who. Last night, it came to me – she sounds just like Cartman, right down to the pronouncing "Mom" as "Mem". It’s pretty funny. Okay, I can’t think of what else has happened in the last couple of weeks, but I’m sure it’ll come back to me eventually. Unless something horrid happens, I’ll be posting Monday through Friday from now on out. It’s good to be back! —–]]>